Culture affects flood resilience

Research conducted by an LSU student indicates that cultural and social factors influence the flood resiliency of at-risk coastal areas of Louisiana, including Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.

“We often hear about the coast’s assets — its fisheries, its minerals and many other economic products,” said Thibodaux native Brandon Champagne. “However, my opinion is that the strongest asset we have is our people and our way of life.”

Champagne said he recently read about the communities that were hit hard by the tsunami in 2005 in eastern Asia.

Residents of Beaumont, Texas, use a boat to get to the roof of their flooded house on Aug. 31, 2017, after the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. Credit: Courtesy of Sgt. Anna Pongo)

On a recent trip to Galveston, Karen MacClune noticed something odd: Everywhere she went, three feet, five feet, 15 feet high on buildings, she saw little plaques with ominous arrows pointing to the high water marks from Hurricane Ike nearly 10 years ago. It was as if they were badges of pride.

“You can’t even be in Galveston for a day and not recognize the flood risk,” she said.

It’s not so in Harris County, where public awareness lags reality. It’s estimated that more than 80 percent of buildings had no flood insurance before…

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The global air traffic network may be more vulnerable to natural disasters than you realize.

Recent volcanic activity reminds us of the 2010 disaster. The volcano in southern Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull glacier sends ash into the air just prior to sunset ON Friday, April 16, 2010. Thick drifts of volcanic ash blanketed parts of rural Iceland on Friday as a vast, invisible plume of grit drifted over Europe, emptying the skies of planes and sending hundreds of thousands in search of hotel rooms, train tickets or rental cars. (AP Photo/Brynjar Gauti) #

A section of Lake Oroville is seen nearly dry on August 19, 2014 in Oroville, California. As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, water levels in the State’s lakes and reservoirs are reaching historic lows. Lake Oroville is currently at 32 percent of its total 3,537,577 acre feet. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

this earthquake is believed to be the biggest in the region in 25 years – had destroyed four mobile homes and made 16 buildings “uninhabitable”,

The Story of Cyclone Tracy by Sophie Cunningham.

Forty homes appeared to have been completely submerged in the mudslide- only one building was left above ground level Photo: Getty

Motorists try to move their cars Thursday after being trapped on the flooded southbound Lodge near Dexter after a water main broke near the freeway about 2:30 p.m. Water from a 42-inch main poured down a freeway ramp and rose nearly 4 feet, causing backups. / Photos by William Archie/Detroit Free Press. Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/206010386/Lodge-reopens-after-flooding-halts-traffic-near-water-main-break

TS Iselle

A solar flare bursts off the left limb of the sun in this image

even false tsunami warning can cause death toll in community…

Great guide for all pets owners; RSPCA Queensland. Source: http://www.rspcaqld.org.au/Information/AnimalCareTips/SummerTips/CyclonePreparedness